To the Ferry Please Gloria 2

Gloria 2 pretty little thing but with a wicked sense of humour ...
So first we need to just get down that mountain ... AGAIN

Its about 150km drive south from Nocera Terinese to the ferry terminal at Villa Saint Giovanni and most will be done on the auto strata but by the look of the map there will be loads of tunnels so lights set to auto and off we go.

 

 

I'm not sure how one got to the ferry terminal pre auto strata but when you looked over the mountain edges and down the steep decent to the teal ocean below it would have taken weeks!!!

 

The views from up here are amazing, at times you felt like you we in a plane, you come out of a long dark tunnel and then thrust into the bright light and there is a suspension bridge that went to the next tunnel. Sorry no suspension bridge picture I think Sandy had here eyes closed a few times ... oh and maybe me to!!

 

My hands were cramping from holding that steering wheel so tight with a very firm grip! Concentrating on my lane as the cars speed so fast past my left as if they were jets in a race to the moon, or was that to the 12.30 ferry.

 

 

 

 

But I won! ... I got to the ferry terminal first! or well, maybe we just missed the 12.30 ferry!!

 

So 1 hour waiting in the holding bay gave us some time to chat to the locals and find out how this all works. Being a inland boy, ferry's are not our first mode of transport and then there was the little bit of Italian language to hurdle, oh and I did mention being the 1st in the queue.

 

 

So first in the queue is first on the ferry, oh and that will mean first off at the other end, bright spark Pete, being first ... I think not, as when that metal gate in front of me drops to Sicilian soil the race track starts all over again, but this time its from a standing start ... We are soooooo going to get RUN OVER.

 

Didn't help last night on google to find out a bit about Sicily and one "lovely little fact" is, that apparently Sicilian driver are WORSE than main land Italians!!!!! oh goodie ...

 

Solution, start to mix and mingle with the locals and with that Aussie hat they wanted to mingle with me.

So a bit of negotiating with most of the cars and trucks on board to ask them to play nice and don't honk their horns as soon as the gates drop oh and remember my Italian language lesson from yesterday Paino Paino Paino

 

 

Looking forward, little oll me tucked in under that huge metal gate oh and looking back some big suckers right on my tail.

But it was like a gift from the heavens as just a few car back from us were the police that should help slow down the traffic, well that what I thought.

 

 

So the race is about to start ... 

 

 

The gate is being slowing dropped just in front of me and the engines are all running and reeving loudly behind me, paino paino I'm saying to myself and well as I'm here writing the blog we came out unscaved and only a little mentally bruised, it is now apparent to me that the Sicilian police drivers are ever worse than the rest of the drivers on todays ferry ... or maybe they had some mafia friends to catch up with for a drink after work!!!! 

 

 

So welcome to Sicily ...

All you have to do is follow that blue line.